Predictive open loop pre-heating of electronic devices in cold environments

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention may provide an improved method for pre-heating an electronic device such as an information handling system, when internal temperatures are below safe operating ranges. To do so, the system selectively heats the entire device or select zones of the electronic device for a predetermined amount of time when the system is restarted after a period of time sufficient to bring the system to ambient temperatures. The predetermined amount of time is determined based on measured ambient temperatures. Using a table that corresponds the ambient temperatures to a time that a component needs to heat up to a nominal temperature in a zone, the predetermined time can be calculated.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for preheating an electronic device, comprising:
 measuring an ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device; 
 using a lookup table to determine a predetermined time to heat the electronic device based on at least the ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device, wherein the lookup table is determined by measuring an amount of time to heat a specific component to a threshold internal temperature from a starting ambient temperature; 
 heating the electronic device for the predetermined time; and 
 powering on the electronic device when the predetermined time is completed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the lookup table is provided by a manufacturer of the electronic device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises multiple heating zones. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein each heating zone is independently heated and is associated with a per zone lookup table. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the electronic device is powered on only when all of the predetermined times for each of the zones has elapsed. 
     
     
       6. An electronic device comprising:
 at least one sensor for determining an ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device; 
 a processor that controls the electronic device; and 
 a memory having computer program instructions stored thereon, the processor executing the computer program instructions in the memory to perform a method comprising:
 measuring by the at least one sensor an ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device; 
 using a lookup table to determine a predetermined time to heat the electronic device based on at least the ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device, wherein the lookup table is determined by measuring an amount of time to heat a specific component to a threshold internal temperature from a starting ambient temperature; 
 heating the electronic device for the predetermined time; and 
 powering on the electronic device when the predetermined time is completed. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the lookup table is provided by a manufacturer of the electronic device. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the electronic device comprises of multiple heating zones. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 6 , wherein the electronic device is a chassis mounted in an information handling system. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein each heating zone is separately heated and has a per zone lookup table. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the electronic device is powered on only when all of the predetermined times for each of the zones has elapsed. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code, which when executed by a computer processor enables the computer processor to perform a method for operating an electronic device, the method comprising:
 measuring an ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device; 
 using a lookup table to determine a predetermined time to heat the electronic device based on at least the ambient temperature of air outside of the electronic device wherein the lookup table is determined by measuring an amount of time to heat a specific component to a threshold internal temperature from a starting ambient temperature; 
 heating the electronic device for the predetermined time; and 
 powering on the electronic device when the predetermined time is completed. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the lookup table is provided by a manufacturer of the electronic device. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic device comprises multiple heating zones. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein each heating zone is independently heated and is associated with a per zone lookup table. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the electronic device is powered on only when all of the predetermined times for each of the zones has elapsed. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic device is a chassis mounted in an information handling system.